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Why Is Europe Afraid of Defending Itself?

UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

At the threshold: taking responsibility for its own defence will have Europe rediscovering its independence.. Image: Sebastian Goll / Alamy Stock


While European countries have pledged to boost defence spending, they remain strategically reliant on the United States, an increasingly unreliable ally. As the US threatens disengagement, political leaders still refuse to ask the only question that matters: Can Europe ensure its security on its own?

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Zaki Laïdi

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